Türkiye has introduced new rules requiring jewelers to clearly distinguish laboratory-grown gemstones from natural stones, as part of an effort to improve consumer transparency in the jewelry sector.
The regulation, published in the Official Gazette, establishes stricter standards for the sale, labeling and marketing of precious stones produced in laboratory environments.
Under the new rules, gemstones that are not naturally formed may no longer be offered for sale unless they are explicitly identified using terms such as “synthetic,” “laboratory-grown,” “artificially produced,” or another equivalent designation approved by the Trade Ministry. These descriptions must be displayed prominently on product labels, certificates, invoices, e-commerce listings, advertisements and promotional materials so that consumers can easily recognize the nature of the product.
The regulation also introduces changes to retail practices. Synthetic gemstones and natural precious stones will be required to be displayed in separate showcases or designated sections within jewelry stores. Online retailers will likewise have to list natural and laboratory-produced stones under separate product categories.
The move comes as laboratory-grown diamonds continue to gain a larger share of the global jewelry market. Although synthetic diamonds have existed for decades, large-scale commercial production has expanded rapidly in recent years.
Created by replicating the extreme conditions under which diamonds form in nature, these stones possess many of the same physical characteristics as natural diamonds while being significantly less expensive.
Industry estimates indicate that laboratory-grown diamonds can sell for as little as one-fifteenth the price of their natural counterparts and now account for more than 20 percent of diamonds available on the market.
